The Not-Boyfriends
by clemonlime
Summary: Ever since Spencer's dad left, they would all meet up on the same spot on the same raggedy blanket on the third Saturday of every month.


"He's not my boyfriend."

Garcia scoffed from the backseat, raising the arms of her stuffed rabbit before letting them fall to its sides, and doing it again. Her pigtails swayed from side to side. "He's totally your boyfriend."

"Or not." Derek adjusted the car mirror, "In fact, I think you like him, little sister."

She screwed her face up, holding the rabbit up with her left hand. "He gave me this."

"Yeah? And?"

"And then he kissed you," she smiled.

"On the cheek, Penelope." Her step brother turned the key in the ignition, "On the cheek."

There wasn't far to go. It was only a few blocks from Derek's parents' house to the park, where Spencer was no doubt sitting on the

raggedy checkered blanket that his parents used to have picnics on, because this was beginning to become a tradition.

Every third Saturday of the month, each month-iversary of Spencer's dad leaving, Garcia and Derek would meet Spencer at the same place, a private spot just over the hill from where everyone else would be. Just a get together to remind everyone of how nice it is to have someone.

Derek held onto Garcia's hand as they walked on the sidewalk, but as soon as the figure laid out on the blanket came into sight, they completely disregarded the pavement and stumbled across the grass.

"You came! And just on time, too!" Spencer was wearing his it's party time sweater, the one with the black and white stripes. He pushed himself up, standing at Derek's shoulder-level. He smiled as he saw Garcia's rabbit, "Keeping him safe, are you, Penelope?"

She beamed and nodded, her pigtails swaying along with her, agreeing.

"Good." He turned his attention to Derek and gently brushed the darker boy's shoulder's off, "And how are you, Prince Charming?"

"Doing just fine, Cinderella." Derek let his teeth click together, a wide smile on his face as Spencer fell back onto the soft blanket.

Of course, everyone was happy around Spencer. He was a well-dressed, nice-smile, cutesy ball of sunshine that always seemed to know the right pronouns, addressed the sirs and ma'ams, and... others. No one could ever frown around Spencer. He was the miracle boy that everyone, everyone loved. Of course, not everyone knew the things about Spencer that Derek knew.

"Come lay with me, baby girl," Spencer patted the space beside him, an arm splayed to the side. Garcia crawled onto the blanket, tucking her rabbit between hers and Spencer's body. "You named him yet?"

"No..." She frowned a bit, as she'd gotten it last month.

"Well, he doesn't need a label, does he?" Spencer pecked her forehead and lulled his head to the side to look at Derek, who was still standing. "Aren't you going to sit down?"

"Yeah... I- yeah." Derek crossed his legs before falling back beside Spencer, placing his hands contentedly on his stomach. "So what's been going on?"

"I'm glad you asked!" With a laugh, he rolled onto his shoulder and propped his head up on his fist, "Guess who used to be straight, but isn't anymore?"

Derek groaned, "That Aaron guy?"

"Yessir," Spencer grinned, but his eyes widened when he saw the look on Derek's face (one of which said oh, please, don't tell me you're dating him), "No, no. He's crawling behind that Italian teacher from our old primary school."

"Rossi?"

Spencer nodded once, a small smile on his face. "He's finally joined the 1.8%."

A silence settled into their bones, a small breeze brushing its fingers over Derek's face, blowing Spencer's hair into his face. Suddenly, the brunette boy turned over with his back to Derek.

"Penelope, did you know that there are 124,900 jobs centered around photography and miscellaneous cameras?" Spencer pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to Garcia, whispering, "Go take some pretty pictures for me, sweetheart."

"Okay!" She stood, her rabbit tucked under her arm and Spencer's phone in her hand, as she scurried off behind the tall grass.

After she disappeared, Spencer rolled onto his back and sighed, the smile falling lightly from his face as he closed his eyes.

"I'm tired," he whispered, throwing his arm down to feel for Derek's hand. "I've missed you, y'know."

Derek shifted his palm to lace their fingers together, "Our parents could pay for you to transfer to my high school, y'know."

"Like I'd let them pay for anything, that school is $10,000 on average... $10,012.30." Spencer scoffed, "And, anyways, I still get to see you every month."

"And why not every day?" They'd had this conversation a million times, but Derek still couldn't stop himself. He wanted to have Garcia be as happy as she was around him all the time, and he wanted to have his Pretty Boy around- maybe, even, live with them.

"It's more special this way, Der. The only tradition I can afford, and besides..." he scooted closer, laying his forehead in the crook of Derek's neck, leaving lazy kisses on the skin there, "... you all would get tired of me, after awhile."

Click. Behind them, in the grass, sat a content Garcia, her rabbit cradled in her arms and the phone held eye-level. "Gotcha."

Derek sat up, taking Spencer with him. "I don't think I would."

"Oh, you would," Spencer smiled gently.

"How can you guarantee that?"

"Roommates often find each other with dropping GPAs due to any influence of-"

"No, look at me." Derek turned his head, pecking his lips once, running his thumb across Spencer's bottom lip. "How could I prove to you that I could never get tired of you?"

"I don't know. We're not boyfriends, we're just Derek and Spencer. Friends." Spencer pushed the hair from his face as it fell onto his forehead, the wind doing nothing for his attempts to look 'together'.

"Then let's be boyfriends!" His voice raised a few pitches, his eyes sparkling like he'd solved one of the biggest problems in his life- in their life. "Be my boyfriend, Spencer."

He took the hands in front of him. A small girl in the grass behind them took another picture.

"Derek, I... I don't know," Spencer glanced toward the hill, gripping tight to the hands offered to him, "We only see each other once a month. That would almost classify as a long distance relationship. Approximately 40% of long distance relationships in America are doomed to fail-"

"Well, that can change!" Derek's hands migrated to Spencer's shoulders, to his jaw. Click. "We can visit you more, and you could even stay at our house. Please, pretty boy."

Spencer shook his head. "We could... we could give it a try, but-"

They kissed. It wasn't the first, they'd done it a million times, but they were not-boyfriends then. They were boyfriends now. So it was special. Click.

Garcia grinned to herself and hugged her rabbit to her chest as she took a video.

"I told you they were boyfriends," she whispered.

When Spencer got his phone back, it was almost like Derek was actually there until the next Saturday they would meet. And the Saturday after that. And the Saturday after that...


End file.
